5 Simple Home and School Self Care Tips

By: Leila 

 We live in a fast paced world.

From the moment adults or school going kids wake up to the moment they all go to bed, they're always on the go. There is barely any time to slow down and enjoy a meal.

I am now learning as an adult the importance of slowing down and self care.

I've always been on the move and recently, I discovered that it doesn't allow me to process my emotions, listen to them and take charge of them. Hence, it's easy to snap and assume control of things instead of moving at the pace of things.

I've started setting aside time for me to take a look around and observe my environment, organize my thoughts and feelings and postpone what I can't complete today to the following day.

The need for mental health care has never been as high in the years before as it is now. This need covers all demographics regardless of socio-economic background.

Research shows that lack of proper self care, rest and mental health care leads to stress which is the reason for the increasing cases of depression and anxiety.

A recent study shows that more therapists and counselors have been hired since the early 2000s until now in schools, corporates, personal level, family level, prisons, judiciary level and government workplaces.

There is a great need to empower people with the importance of self care and rest from the school and home level.

Here are simple and easy to implement self care tips that can be taught at home and at school:

Meditation

Training kids to sit in silence then write down their thoughts will raise adults who are more self aware emotionally and mentally.

When at home, set aside 10-20 minutes on Sunday mornings for you and your family to meditate. 

In school, set aside the same amount of time before a lesson begins. This silence will calm students and probably reduce cases of bullying and irate student acts.

Train kids that... A calm mind is a rational mind.

Napping

A 20 minute to an hour nap can change an indecisive mind to a decisive one. It can calm a restless soul.

When setting aside self care time for kids at home, add napping as an option. Switch off phones or tv and use this time to relax the mind and soul.

When they learn to understand the importance of a nap, it will aid them in appreciating Me-time in adulthood as well as taking a mental and emotional pause.

Journaling

Writing down thoughts, experiences and feelings is helpful and carthatic.

When kids get to puberty, they experience heightened emotions and they can be erratic which leads them to making irrational decisions.

As an adult, being impulsive can ruin relationships and hurt oneself and others.

Learning to journal helps with keeping your emotions and thoughts in check. Hence leading to more calm and rational adults.

Moreover, it improves communication especially when expressing emotions.

Gratitude Jar

At the beginning of every year, give kids an empty jar and tell them to fill it with notes of good things that happened to them every month. 

Tell them to read the notes when they're having a bad day or feeling low. It will elevate their mood and improve their mental health.

This will cultivate a positive and grateful attitude towards life as they become adults.

Additionally, during dinner time, you can ask everyone to say what they're grateful for. This will create an understanding and positive attitude towards each other.

Art time

Set aside 1-2 hour during the weekend at home or at school during the weekday when kids take time to do what they're passionate about. This will allow them to tap into their talents and allow them to express themselves.

Doing what you're passionate about helps reduce anxiety and depression because it triggers the dopamine levels in the brain that are responsible for good moods.

Parting shot:

A good self care routine leads to mentally and emotionally healthy adults. 

Self care should not be learnt in adulthood because by then, unlearning certain behaviors may be difficult.

Let's teach kids that self care and rest are not signs of laziness but good for their holistic development. 

#selfcare #mentalhealth #wellness #wellbeing #parenting #schooling